Energy Sources

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in securing cost effective, environmentally-friendly sources of power in Northern Ireland since the publication of proposals on 25 July 2005.

Maria Eagle: The July 2005 proposals relate primarily to the North South cooperation on a longer-term vision for renewable energy within the All-Island electricity market—known as the '2020 Vision'.
	In that specific context, extensive cooperation with the Republic of Ireland is continuing in the development of actions for implementation. A key element of this work is the all-island grid study involving research into the potential for renewable energy—and wind energy in particular—to be accommodated in the electricity grid systems in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. The study, which is due to be completed in mid-2007 will provide a firm evidence base on which to develop strategic investment decisions in relation to securing renewable sources of power.
	The detailed responses to the '2020 Vision' paper itself are being analysed by Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resource (DCMNR) and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) with a view to presenting the outcome to an industry forum in the new year.
	In addition to the '2020 Vision' work, the hon. Member will be aware that the Secretary of State's Environment and Renewable Energy Fund was launched in February 2006 with the aim of making Northern Ireland an exemplar region in renewables development. The £59 million ring-fenced package is already being implemented through a number of programmes to enhance renewables actions and secure cleaner sources of power for Northern Ireland across both the public and private sectors.

Programme for Government Committee

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance he plans to provide to the Programme for Government Committee in its work to agree priorities for the new executive; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: In the wake of the St. Andrews Agreement, I remain convinced that the circumstances are now right to make vital progress an ultimately to see a permanent political settlement in Northern Ireland. The work of the Programme for Government Committee is key to this process and I have asked my officials in the Northern Ireland Departments to be at the disposal of the Committee and to offer whatever information is required in carrying out the task of agreeing priorities for the new Executive.
	I look forward to the outcome of their discussions.

Departmental Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent by  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies in respect of hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) other persons in each year since 2001-02.

Gillian Merron: The Department for Transport and the majority of its agencies and non departmental public bodies do not record payments for hotel accommodation for staff and others separately from other subsistence costs. More detailed information would only be available at disproportionate cost. Overnight subsistence allowances for UK and overseas, and specific hotel costs where available, are contained in the following table.
	
		
			   
			2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 DfT (C) UK subsistence allowance staff  292,079 307,442 299,915 332,702 
			  UK subsistence allowance other  151 0 0 320 
			  Overseas subsistence allowance staff  404,344 452,256 439,283 495,697 
			  Overseas subsistence allowance other  3,999 5,415 3,794 15,450 
			
			 GCDA Total subsistence allowance 204,729 210,385 254,552 260,038 192,172 
			
			 MCA UK hotel Only available at disproportionate cost 610,083 
			  Overseas hotel Only available at disproportionate cost 151,691 
			 
			 HA  Only available at disproportionate cost  
			 
			 DSA Total travel and subsistence 345,324 317,559 3.76 million 4.84 million 5.56 million 
			
			 VOSA Accommodation   712,363 737,172 700,016 
			
			 DVLA UK hotel   629,000 701,000 679,000 
			  Overseas hotel   1,100 7,000 8,000 
			
			 VGA UK hotel 931 5,688 4,540 37,132 58,706 
			  Overseas hotel 0 330 1,277 142,44 26,672 
		
	
	Information relating to overseas travel by Ministers is published on an annual basis. Information for the period 2 May 2005 to 31 March 2006 is available in the Library of the House. Information for the current financial year will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current financial year. No records are kept about the category of any hotels in which Ministers have stayed.
	The amounts spent on hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation for Ministers and officials during visits abroad are as follows:
	
		
			
			 29 May 2002-31 March 2003 4,110 
			 1 April 2003-31 March 2004 6,907 
			 1 April 2004-31 March 2005 2,423 
			 1 April 2005-31 March 2006 9,094 
			 1 April 2005-31 August 2006 1,045 
		
	
	Details of the amount spent on hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation for Ministers and officials within the UK is not routinely collated and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	All travel is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the ministerial code, travel by Minister and the civil service management code.

Freight Trains

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Office of Rail Regulator plans to introduce an environmental levy on goods transported by freight trains.

Tom Harris: The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) published, on 11 October 2006, a consultation document ORR's Sustainable Development and Environment Duties.
	One of the issues on which ORR is seeking stakeholder views relates to the use of an environmental charge that would reflect the costs of train operations on the environment.
	A copy of the consultation document can be found on the ORR website at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/304.pdf and will be made available in the Library of the House. Consultation responses are requested by 22 December 2006.

FV Gaul

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the total cost of investigations and inquiries into the loss of the F. V. Gaul in 2006 prices.

Stephen Ladyman: The total cost to the Department of investigations and inquiries into the loss of the FV Gaul was 6.5 million.
	
		
			
			 Original Formal Investigation 1975 20,000 
			 MAIB 1998 survey 692,000 
			 Re-opened Formal Investigation 5,800,000 
		
	
	No adjustment has been made for 2006 prices.

FV Gaul

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made towards the implementation of the formal safety recommendations arising from the F. V. Gaul Re-opened Formal Investigation.

Stephen Ladyman: It is considered that, as far as is reasonably practicable, the recommendations have been implemented.

FV Gaul

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any evidence of a design fault in the construction and arrangement of the duff and offal chutes on the trawler F. V. Gaul was made available to the Wreck Commissioner during the 2004 investigation.

Stephen Ladyman: The Marine Accident Investigation Branch provided the inquiry with a copy of a full set of technical drawings for the vessel, a number of which detailed the design of these chutes. These drawings were reviewed by the technical experts and the expert representing the Department for Transport referred to these drawings in the production of the document Notes on the duff and offal chutes, submitted to the Re-opened Formal Investigation. These notes included comments on the design of the chutes and the potential design inadequacies.

Animal Exports

Gwyn Prosser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) live calves and  (b) live sheep destined for export have been rejected prior to export since 1st May 2006 at (i) the place of origin and (ii) the port; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: This information is no longer collected. Following increased levels of exports, the use made of this data could no longer justify the resources required to collect it.

Newcastle Disease

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the East Lothian Newcastle Disease outbreak; how many of each type of bird were slaughtered; what contingency plans were being followed; and what compensation is available to breeders whose birds were slaughtered.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 24 October 2006
	Animal health and welfare is a devolved issue and, as such, the Scottish Executive implemented its Newcastle Disease contingency plan. Compensation arrangements were made under Scottish legislation.

Sheep Diseases

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if his Department will assess the merits of using the Australian vaccination for caseous lymphadenitis in sheep.

Ben Bradshaw: Commercial vaccines to protect against caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) are available in several countries including Australia. None of the commercially produced vaccines are currently authorised for marketing in the UK; however a veterinary surgeon may apply for a Special Import Certificate to import vaccine for use in a particular infected flock. Glanvac, a vaccine used in Australia has been imported into the UK for the control of CLA infection in both sheep and goats.
	The widespread availability of a CLA vaccine in GB would depend on a commercial decision by a vaccine manufacturer to apply for a Marketing Authorisation; however if CLA vaccine were to become generally available, its use could suppress clinical disease in infected flocks without eradicating infection. As vaccinated animals can transmit infection, the use of vaccine in the absence of health certification, could increase the risk of spread of infection.

Veterinary Surgeons

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the public petition of 9 June 2004 from Mrs. I. O'Neill and others for an independent ombudsman to deal with complaints against the veterinary profession; and what response he has made to the petition.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government have made it clear on a number of occasions that it accepts that the current arrangements for dealing with complaints against veterinary surgeons could be improved. This means looking at the scope of any complaints system, the range of actions that the regulatory body has at its disposal, and whether the system is sufficiently transparent and fair.
	We have received a number of ideas on how complaints against veterinary surgeons should be managed, including the appointment of an independent ombudsman. We will also look at whether better models exist for the way in which complaints against other professions are handled. These issues are being considered as part of a wider review of the existing regulatory framework for veterinary surgeons. However there is currently no set timetable for making changes to the Veterinary Surgeons Act.

Battle Deployment

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  which units are allocated to an EU order of battle deployment;
	(2)  what resources the Government has identified as plausible UK commitments in the event of a deployment of the EU Rapid Reaction Force.

Adam Ingram: There is no EU order of battle or EU rapid reaction force.
	In the Helsinki Headline Goal, adopted in 1999, the EU established a target of being able to deploy up to 50-60,000 troops on a range of crisis management tasks, from humanitarian relief to peace support operations. The UK has offered forces up to a maximum of 12,500 troops, 72 combat aircraft and 18 warships plus support ships. This is not a standing force, but an indication of the numbers and types of forces that the UK could potentially make available for EU-led operations, subject to other commitments.
	Additionally the UK has agreed periodically to provide troops on standby in the context of the EU Battlegroups concept. EU Battlegroups are small, mobile self-sustaining forces (approximately 1,500 troops) intended for rapid intervention in a crisis, typically in response to a UN request. The UK provided a national Battlegroup on standby during the first half of 2005 and will do so again in 2008. With the Netherlands we have also offered an amphibious Battlegroup in 2010. Each Battlegroup will be on standby for a period of six months.
	The commitment of national forces to an EU-led operation remains a sovereign decision for nations concerned.

Departmental Staff

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of vacancies in his Department in the last 12 months required candidates to have at least a grade C in  (a) English and  (b) mathematics GCSE.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office is a small organisation, with less than 60 staff based in Cardiff and London. It draws its staff from other bodies, namely the National Assembly for Wales and Department of Constitutional Affairs. These staff have already had their qualifications assessed, and so we do not directly specify any requirement for these qualifications in our vacancies.

Departmental Staff

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department recognises the International GCSE as an acceptable substitute for a GCSE for the purposes of recruitment.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office is a small organisation, with less than 60 staff based in Cardiff and London. It draws its staff from other bodies, namely the National Assembly for Wales and Department of Constitutional Affairs. These staff have already had their qualifications assessed, and so we do not need to carry out any further assessment of GCSEs or other qualifications.

Social Exclusion

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with other appropriate Government departments on how best practice on social exclusion can be shared with the Welsh Assembly Government.

Peter Hain: Devolution enables the Welsh Assembly Government to adopt tailor-made policies to tackle social exclusion in Wales. My right hon. Friend (Hilary Armstrong) the Minister for Social Exclusion takes a close interest in the work of the Assembly Government in this area, and her Department maintains contact with the Assembly Minister for Social Justice and her officials in order to exchange best practice and to ensure that work is properly co-ordinated.
	The different countries of the UK have recently worked together to produce the UK's National Action Plan on Social Inclusion for the EU, which sets out some of the most promising programmes and approaches developed across the countries of the UK.

Funding (Theatres)

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much public funding has been made available to theatre companies in the East Midlands in each year between 1998 and 2005.

David Lammy: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not fund the arts directly, but through Arts Council England, who are responsible for distributing public money from Government.
	The Arts Council of England merged with the regional arts boards in 2002-03. It is not possible to provide reliable funding figures for theatre in the East Midlands prior to this date.
	
		
			  Arts Council England, East Midlands regular funding for theatre organisations 
			   000 
			 2002-03 3,280 
			 2003-04 4,295 
			 2004-05 4,522 
			 2005-06 4,734 
		
	
	In addition, since 2003-04 Arts Council England East Midlands has allocated over 2.6 million to 169 organisations and individuals through their Grants for the arts funding scheme.

PFI Projects

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been spent by her Department on Private Finance Initiative projects postponed pending further consideration or stopped in the last 12 months.

David Lammy: DCMS do not keep detailed costs as projects are managed by local authorities. Within the last 12 months one project has been postponed for reconsideration. DCMS does not have details of the cost accrued by the local authority.
	Shepway district council-Leisure PFI project. Delayed for re-consideration of the Outline Business Case.

Tourism (Press Releases)

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many press releases on tourism her Department has issued since April.

Shaun Woodward: The Department has issued one tourism specific press release since April 2006. It has also issued a number of press releases relating to tourism as well as other areas; and on areas that are a key part of our tourism industry, such as licensing, heritage and culture.
	VisitBritain, funded by grant in aid from the Department, has issued 81 press releases since April. These have covered the promotion of England and Britain as a tourism destination, VisitBritain's responsibility is to help the British tourism industry address the media more effectively and activity to raise the value of the visitor economy.

Health Care Drugs

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the supply of health care drugs to the developing world from G8 countries; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The World Health Organisation estimates that one-third of the world's population are without access to medicines, including the supply of drugs.
	DFID are supporting a number of global initiatives such as the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria; International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm), UNITAID and advance market commitments for vaccines.
	DFID helps to fund the broader health sector plans of developing country governments. Our programmes will build capacity in countries own health services to manage all major causes of illness including the provision of drugs and other supplies.

Afghanistan

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 17 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1152W, on Afghanistan, what projects his Department has  (a) undertaken and  (b) financially supported in Helmand Province.

Hilary Benn: DFID undertakes livelihoods projects, preferring to work through the Government of Afghanistan where possible. This support is essential to strengthen Government systems and build effective state institutions that will be able to continue to meet Afghanistan's development needs.
	In Helmand, DFID supports a number of livelihoods programmes. I announced a 30 million Helmand Agriculture and Rural Development Programme earlier this year. This programme aims to increase economic opportunities for the rural poor of Helmand by supporting the Government of Afghanistan in the roll-out of existing successful National Programmes in Helmand. These programmes will provide improved water and sanitation, essential small-scale rural infrastructure, greater access to small loans, improved roads and access to markets and agricultural inputs and training to the people of Helmand. Priority preliminary tasks have been undertaken: i.e. sites for road and well building have been identified; engineering surveys conducted; and the Government procurement process started. This programme will construct 200 wells in and around Lashkar Gah city by end March 2007, and 49km of road will be under construction by then. Should the security situation allow, we also expect to build a further 490 wells in four districts in central Helmand by end March 2007.
	Through the 3 million DFID-funded Research into Alternative Livelihoods Fund (RALF), the Restorative Agriculture and Rural Economy Research Project, implemented by Mercy Corps, is working on export feasibility of grapes, tomatoes, mushrooms, eggplants and okra, and has made strong contacts with raisin importers (organic and fair-trade). The programme is evaluating at least 10 different small-scale agri-processing industries, and producing case studies of enterprises that prove to have value added. For example tomato paste. In addition the programme has introduced a simple technology for the production of mint as an herbal remedy.
	DFID has committed 4 million to the UK Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP) funding allocation of 6.5 million for the delivery of quick impact projects (QIPS) in Helmand to get short-term development results and help build a platform for longer-term activities. From the total allocation, half has been committed and all will be spent by March 2007. To date, nearly fifty such projects have been funded and implemented. These funds have provided humanitarian assistance to victims of the drought, constructed permanent vehicle checkpoints to improve security, improved security around the shrine in Gereshk, reinforced the river bank walls and provided flood defences for the Bowlan bridge. A full list of UK funded QIPs under the four broad sub-headings (Reconstruction and Development, Security, Governance, and Counter Narcotics) is attached.
	Supporting Documentation: Summary of Quick Impact Projects in Helmand Province
	
		
			  Project  Value (USD) 
			  Reconstruction and Development  
			 Sayed Tajdar Shrine: Wall and gate construction 21,224 
			 Sayed Tajdar Shrine: Road and footpath construction 3,076 
			 Improvement of Friday Market and Gabion wall 140,623 
			 Improvement of Friday Market (Cha-i-Anjeer) 24,950 
			 Emergency food distribution 3,400 
			 Gabion Extension 34,108 
			 Support to Office of the Governor to respond to needs of Internally Displaced People 60,000 
			 Support to Radio Stations 150,000 
			 Weir on Helmand River 153,147 
			 Silt removal from Helmand River 259,479 
			 Extension of Gabion walls on Helmand River 168,045 
			 Ulema Shura Ramadan Food 6,867 
			 Lashkar Gar Hospital Mortuary 50,000 
			 Bost Hospital Generator 60,000 
			 Womens Centre improvements 30,000 
			 Kartelegan and Toortank day care centres 80,000 
			 Ulema Shura Eid Support 1,900 
			 Womens Centre ISAF badges 750 
			   
			  Security  
			 Permanent Vehicle Check Points (PVCPs) 21,387 
			 Afghan National Police Outposts 480,000 
			 Afghan National Army Platoon House 45,000 
			 Afghan National Army Outposts 158,756 
			 4 Permanent Vehicle Check Points (PVCPs) 155,000 
			 4 Enhanced Permanent Vehicle Check Points (PVCPs) 110,000 
			 12 Permanent Vehicle Check Points (PVCPs) for Geresk 600,000 
			 New PSCC 150,000 
			   
			  Governance  
			 Media Training 486,900 
			 Radio Transmitter 122,400 
			 Helmand Governor - Armoured Car 126,684 
			 3,000 uniforms for 1,500 police 30,000 
			 GPS for the chief of police 150 
			 ID card making facility (ANP) 25,000 
			 Generators for the Governor 170,000 
			 Wall for the office of the prosecutor 10,000 
			 Support to the Office of the Governor 35,000 
			 Tribal Liaison Office, District Reports 155,708 
			 Rehabilitate Printing Press 45,000 
			   
			  Counter Narcotics  
			 Windmill Wells 10,640 
			 Vehicles for Counter Narcotics Police Authority 72,080 
			 Counter-narcotics PI campaign 279,939 
			 Communications equipment for the Counter Narcotics Police Afghanistan 10,000 
			 PA Systems for 12 District Centres 3,000 
			 Counter Narcotics Tractor Repairs 12,000 
			 Counter Narcotics Tractor Ploughs 30,000 
			 Total 4,592,213

Palestinian Country Assistance Plan

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what impact the refusal of Hamas to recognise Israel and renounce terrorism will have on the Palestinian Country Assistance Plan.

Hilary Benn: The 2004 Palestinian Country Assistance Plan (CAP) sets out how we will work towards three outcomes:
	prospects for peace enhanced;
	more effective, accountable and inclusive Palestinian institutions;
	humanitarian and development assistance delivered more effectively.
	These objectives remain valid. However, following the Hamas-led government's failure to meet the Quartet principles, we cannot support the Palestinian Authority. Instead, we have had to find ways to get aid straight to the Palestinian people. DFID has produced an interim programme update setting out how we are working towards our CAP objectives in the current political environment. This is available at www.dfid.gov.uk I am also placing a copy in the House of Commons Library.

Africa (Climate Change)

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of people in sub-Saharan Africa who are at risk from diseases directly attributable to climate change.

Hilary Benn: The World Health Organisation has estimated that over 50,000 deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2000 were due to climate change (World Health Report 2002). These deaths were due to diarrhoea, flood injury, malaria and malnutrition. 2 per cent. of all cases of diarrhoea and malaria and almost one fifth of cases of malnutrition during this period were attributed to climate change. In their recent report entitled The Climate of Poverty: Facts, Fears and Hope, Christian Aid estimated that 182 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa were at risk of dying from diseases directly attributable to climate change by the end of this century if temperatures rise by 6(o)C.
	At Gleneagles in 2005, the UK and other G8 countries acknowledged the urgent need to increase efforts to combat climate change in their own countries and in the developing world. The Department for International Development has allocated 5 million over five years for work to improve the quality and availability of climate data in Africa and 24 million over five years to improve the capacity of African countries to adapt to climate change by building and maintaining a body of skilled African researchers.
	We have funded assessments of the potential impact on health in 12 of the least developed countries nine of which are in Africa including Sudan, Mozambique, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Uganda. DFID is also the fourth largest donor to the Global Environment Facility contributing 118 million between 2003-04 and 2006-07.
	DFID is also working with African countries to tackle the problem, through strengthening national health systems and providing targeted support to programmes against TB, malaria and other communicable diseases. In Kenya for example, DFID has funded the distribution of approximately six million insecticide-treated bed nets to protect against malaria. This year, DFID has also doubled its contribution to the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria to 66 million.

Moldova

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department has made available to assist vulnerable groups in Moldova; and if he will take steps to ensure that recipients of the funding are involved in meetings to discuss funding with officials in his Department.

Hilary Benn: DFID is working closely with the Moldovan Government to support the priorities identified in its Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EGPRSP) 2004-06 and has funded a range of programmes in support of vulnerable groups. These include: a Social Investment Fund to help rural communities plan and manage social infrastructure investments, including community based services for vulnerable groups; a Rural Investment and Services Project which has supported the development on 900 small and medium sized enterprises/livelihood projects in the poorest communities in Moldova; social assistance capacity building through the development of a network of NGOs that represent the interest of community groups; and community projects including support for integration of disabled children into the wider community.
	DFID is currently discussing with the Government of Moldova a Social Assistance Reform project and support to regional development in pilot regions of Moldova.
	It is our practice in Moldova as elsewhere to consult widely in the design and implementation of our programmes including with government, civil society and representatives of beneficiary communities.

Moldova

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will instruct his officials to attend technical co-ordination meetings of the OSCE in Moldova on anti-trafficking measures; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: DFID officials in Moldova are in regular contact with the OSCE office in Chisinau. DFID is not directly involved in anti-trafficking programmes. The OSCE, the International Organisation for Migration, the United States Agency for International Development and the United Nations Development Programme are leading on support to anti-trafficking measures.
	DFID bilateral programmes, and support to multilateral agencies in Moldova, aim to reduce poverty and social and economic deprivation associated with trafficking. Priorities include social assistance reform, regional development, public administration and public financial management reform, and support to social investment and rural investment programmes.
	DFID is currently discussing with the Government of Moldova possible social assistance reform support as well as support for regional development.
	It is our practice in Moldova as elsewhere to consult widely on the design and implementation of all our projects and programmes including with government, civil society and representatives of beneficiaries communities.

Claims Handling Agreement

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many compensation claims under the Claims Handling Agreement in which diagnosis occurred after the original medical assessment process report are still outstanding; and when he expects the backlog to be cleared.

Malcolm Wicks: The Claims Handling Agreement has no provision to deal with claimants who at the time of the Medical Assessment Process (MAP) do not have COPD but develop it at a later date. If a claimant wishes to claim for post MAP development of COPD he is fully entitled to do so but will need to bring a separate claim under normal common law procedures.

Galileo Programme

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total cost for the UK has been of the Galileo programme; what the cost was of the last tranche of payment; which British companies are involved in the project; and what estimate he has made of the number and location of jobs in the UK which are dependent on the Galileo project.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 18 September 2006
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has the policy lead on Galileo.
	The European Union (EU) and member states of the European Space Agency (ESA) jointly fund the development of Galileo. To date the UK's subscription to the ESA element of the programme has been 142 million. The last tranche of payment was 4.15 million.
	The EU's contribution to the design and development phase of Galileo is made from the EC budget and is estimated by the Commission to be 790 million. The UK's contribution to the EC budget is around 17 per cent. of the total, before the UK receives any abatement.
	About 15 UK companies are already involved in Galileoproviding hardware, software, management and operations expertise. Industry estimates in 2005 indicated that about 500 UK Galileo related jobs had been created in the upstream sector since the start of the Development Phase. If the project develops successfully, and depending on the sourcing decisions made by the European Space Industry involved in Galileo, I would expect more to be created in downstream sectors.

Low Carbon Buildings

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to ensure that household grant applications under the Low Carbon Buildings Programme continue to be accepted once the 3.5 million budget for year one of the programme is allocated.

Malcolm Wicks: Initial funding for household applications was 6.5 million over the next three years. The uptake of grants in year one has been far higher than anticipated, reflecting the keen interest in microgeneration from householders. Over half of the original three-year budget has been committed. To enable the programme to continue we are re-allocating 6.2 million from other streams of this programme to the householder stream. I anticipate this funding lasting until mid-2008, by this time some of our wider measures to promote microgeneration should be taking hold, facilitating the uptake of these technologies.

Low Carbon Buildings

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the likely demand for household grants under the Low Carbon Buildings Programme in years one and two of the programme; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: In year one of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme household stream, 3.8 million has been committed towards 2,456 projects to date, of which 300,000 has been drawn down.
	The initial funding for household applications was 6.5 million over three years. To enable the programme to continue we are re-allocating 6.2 million from other streams of this programme to the householder stream. I anticipate this funding lasting until mid-2008, by this time some of our wider measures to promote microgeneration should be taking hold, facilitating the uptake of these technologies.

Steel Industry

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the acquisition of Corus by Tata Steel on employment in the UK steel industry.

Malcolm Wicks: We have made no such assessment. Corus has stated that there would be no job cuts in the short term, although like any other company the unpredictability of markets meant that it could not offer guarantees on jobs in the longer term. However the link-up with a low-cost producer with access to raw materials and to high growth markets for products where Corus has a particular strength will enable the company to compete on a global scale, and thereby help secure the future of plant located in the UK.

Freedom of Information

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much funding her Department allocated to the Information Commissioner's Office in each year since 2003; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: The grant in aid allocated to the Information Commissioner's Office in the financial years since 2003 was as follows:
	
		
			
			 2003-04 11,200,000 
			 2004-05 12,500,000 
			 2005-06 5,000,000 
			 2006-07 5,550,000 
		
	
	The grant in aid in 2003-04 and 2004-05 covered the Information Commissioner's responsibilities for data protection and freedom of information. During this period the Commissioner collected notification fees paid by data controllers under the Data Protection Act 1998, s 26, and returned them to HM Treasury. For 2005-06 and 2006-07 the Commissioner, with the agreement of HM Treasury, retained the notification fees to fund his data protection work; the grant in aid covered only his freedom of information responsibilities.

Freedom of Information

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what advice her Department has issued on the recommended maximum length of time that a public authority should take to consider an internal review under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Vera Baird: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and Lord Chancellor has issued a code of practice under section 45 of the FOI Act advising public authorities that complaints on the handling of freedom of information requests should be dealt with in accordance with their own complaints procedures. They may set their own target times for dealing with complaints, but these should be reasonable and subject to regular review.
	The code of practice is available on the Department for Constitutional Affairs website (http://www.foi.gov.uk/reference/imprep/codepafunc.htm).
	Guidance issued by my Department to public authorities on conducting internal reviews advises that they should be completed in a reasonable timescale. It recommends that simple reviews should be dealt with within two to three weeks. Complex reviews should be dealt with within six weeks. This guidance is also available on my Departments website (http://www.foi.gov.uk/guidance/proguide/chap09.htm).

Freedom of Information

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average time taken for a public authority to conduct an internal review of a freedom of information request has been since 2000-01.

Vera Baird: Since the Freedom of Information Act 2000 came into force in January 2005, the Department for Constitutional Affairs has published quarterly statistical data on the volume, timeliness of responses, and initial outcomes of requests received by 42 central Government bodies. My Department does not presently collect information on the average time taken for a public authority to conduct an internal review under this regime.
	However, as the noted in the Government's response to the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee Report, Freedom of Information: One Year On, the Government will examine the feasibility of including statistics on the duration of internal reviews in its FOI monitoring regime.

Information Commissioner

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what mechanisms are in place for the Information Commissioner to report to Parliament on  (a) his work and  (b) the running of his office.

Vera Baird: The Information Commissioner is an independent body created by statute. The Commissioner is responsible for enforcing the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
	Both Acts require the Commissioner to lay annually before Parliament a general report on the exercise of his functions under the Act. The Acts also provide that the Commissioner may from time to time lay before each House of Parliament such other reports on his functions as he thinks fit. The Commissioner is also required for each financial year to prepare a statement of account which is examined by the Comptroller and Auditor General and laid before each House of Parliament. The Commissioner as Accounting Officer is answerable to Parliament for the monies allocated to him.
	The Constitutional Affairs Select Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Constitutional Affairs and its associated public bodies.

Key Workers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether any of her staff are classed as key workers for the purposes of the low-cost home ownership or shared ownership schemes.

Vera Baird: Civil servants employed within the Department for Constitutional Affairs are not classed as key workers for the purpose of the low cost home ownership and shared ownership schemes.

Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the Prime Minister's Office has spent on organising and hosting conferences in the last 12 months.

Patrick McFadden: The Prime Minister's Office forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office. Information is provided for the whole of the Cabinet Office.
	The Cabinet Office does not separately record on the Department's accounting system, expenditure spent on organising and hosting conferences. This information is therefore available only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the Prime Minister's Office has spent on taxis in the last 12 months.

Patrick McFadden: The Prime Ministers Office forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
	Information for the Cabinet Office is not collected in the format requested. To provide a breakdown would incur disproportionate costs.
	All official travel in the Department is undertaken strictly in accordance with the rules contained in the Cabinet Office Management Code. All ministerial travel related costs are undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library for the reference of Members.

Burma

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on protecting human rights in Burma.

Kim Howells: Burma is identified as a country of concern in our 2006 Annual Report on Human Rights. The Government's policy is to promote full respect for human rights in Burma encouraging the rule of law, democracy and good governance, and the freedom of association and speech in accordance with international human rights law.
	We have been at the forefront of international efforts over many years to bring pressure to bear on the military regime to re-establish democracy and to respect human rights. We take every opportunity to raise human rights issues with the regime and remind them of their obligations to adhere to international human rights law. Our embassy in Rangoon also delivers capacity building assistance in support of these objectives.
	The UK works closely with the EU and other international partners, including the UN and the Association of South East Asian Nations, to promote human rights in Burma, and fully supports the efforts of the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Professor Sergio Pinheiro.
	We fully support all action in the UN, including in the Security Council, which helps to promote reform and positive change in Burma and have supported the US proposal for a UN Security Council Resolution.

East Africa

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the security situation on the Eritrea-Ethiopia border.

Margaret Beckett: We are deeply concerned over reports that Eritrean Defence forces have moved troops and tanks into the Temporary Security Zone contrary to the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities of 18 June 2000 Together with our Security Council partners, we have urged Eritrea to withdraw immediately its troops from the Temporary Security Zone and to extend its full and unconditional cooperation to the UN Mission in Eritrea and Ethiopia, particularly to maintain the ceasefire arrangements in place. We join Security Council partners in calling on both parties to show maximum restraint and to refrain from any threat or use of force against each other. The UK remains committed to the full and expeditious implementation of the Algiers Agreements and implementation of the final and binding decision of the Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission.

Former Yugoslavia

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of progress in the hunt for Radovan Karadzic and General Ratko Mladic; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The UK remains a firm supporter of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ITY). The chief responsibility for the location and transfer of the remaining ICTY indictees, including Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, rests with the Governments of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. We note the most recent assessment by the ICTY Chief Prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, relating to Serbia, delivered on 16 October, which stated that there remain grave deficiencies in Serbia's efforts, both at operational and political levels. We understand the Chief Prosecutor also feels that the authorities of the Republika Srpska within Bosnia and Herzegovina should be doing more to co-operate with the ICTY. We urge all the countries of the region to co-operate fully with the ICTY.

Gibraltar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the Cervantes Institutes was included in discussions during the tripartite talks in Spain and Gibraltar.

Geoff Hoon: The trilateral forum has an open agenda. All sides are therefore free to raise any issue they wish. Spain chose to raise the establishment of a branch of the Cervantes Institute in Gibraltar. As this was acceptable to the Gibraltar and UK sides, it was agreed.

Rendition

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she supports the Secretary General of the Council of Europe's proposals to develop standards aimed at preventing  (a) secret detention,  (b) enforced disappearances and  (c) rendition; and when she expects the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers to discuss the issue next.

Geoff Hoon: The Government have a duty to protect the United Kingdom from international terrorism. In this, as in other areas, the Government are fully committed to the protection of human rights. Measures taken to counter terrorism must be legal and proportionate
	The UK co-operated fully with the Secretary-General's requests for information under Article 52 of the European Convention of Human Rights earlier this year on rendition and with the inquiry held by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The Secretary-General has proposed three new legal instruments concerning the regulation of the security services, civil and state aircraft, and state immunity. The Government have significant reservations about the proposals tabled by the Secretary-General. No date has yet been set for a meeting of the Committee of Ministers on the proposals.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by her Department to meet the recommendations made by the International Crisis Group in its report Getting the UN into Darfur  (a) to apply targeted sanctions to National Congress Party (NCP),  (b) to authorise a forensic accounting firm to investigate the offshore accounts and assets of the NCP and their affiliated businesses,  (c) to consider sanctions against the petroleum sector in Sudan and  (d) to begin planning to enforce a no-fly zone over Darfur.

Kim Howells: We welcome the publication of the International Crisis Group report. It is a constructive input into international efforts to solve the crisis in Darfur.
	The UK believes that this appalling conflict is best addressed through sustained international pressure, including sanctions where appropriate. We fully back the UN sanctions currently in forcearms embargo on the Darfur region, travel ban and assets freeze against named individuals. All countries are required to implement the sanctions, including ensuring that financial institutions freeze any assets of listed individuals. We also strongly supported UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1591 which established a panel of experts to review the Darfur situation and submit recommendations on further sanctions to the Sanctions Committee. The panel reported at the end of September. We are considering with our UN Security Council partners whether further sanctions on any of the parties to the conflict will help solve it. Our priority is to press all parties to implement the Darfur Peace Agreement. A UN peacekeeping force, as foreseen in UNSCR 1706, is best placed to prevent further conflict. We are working at the UN to establish this force. We are, with our partners, pressing the government of Sudan to agree to it. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development conveyed this message directly to President Bashir in Khartoum on 16 October.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will assess the military situation in Darfur.

Kim Howells: The military situation in Darfur remains critical. There has been renewed fighting between Sudanese government forces and the non-signatories to the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) since late August, in contravention of UN Security Council resolution 1591. This fighting has had a disastrous impact on delivery of much-needed humanitarian assistance. Over 50,000 people have been displaced since the fighting began. Some 1.9 million people are displaced in Darfur and 3.6 million need assistance to meet their basic needs. There has been a major increase in rape and gender-based violence. Many humanitarian organisations are considering pulling out altogether because of the security risk. Cross-border attacks from Darfur into Eastern Chad are also continuing, with Eastern Chad now host to some 200,000 refugees from Darfur. The UK utterly condemns this fighting and stresses urgently the need for all parties to end military attacks.
	A lasting solution to the Darfur conflict requires the end of military operations, the resumption of political dialogue in order to fully implement the DPA, and the deployment of a UN force. In co-ordination with UN, EU, African Union, Arab League and other partners the UK is working to achieve these aims. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development set out our objectives directly to President Bashir during his visit to Sudan on 16 October.

Disability Living Allowance

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will introduce a technology component to the disability living allowance to contribute towards the cost of buying special equipment relating to specific disabilities.

Anne McGuire: No. Disability living allowance provides a non-contributory, non-income-related and tax free contribution towards the disability-related extra costs of severely disabled people. Entitlement is based on the need for personal care and/or walking difficulties because people with those needs and/or difficulties are most likely to have disability-related extra costs. The amounts paid are not based on the costs of specific items and recipients are free to spend the benefit according to their own priorities and requirementsincluding helping to pay for or maintain special equipment.

Citizenship Education

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to improve the teaching of citizenship in those schools where a weakness in such teaching has been identified.

Jim Knight: Schools are expected to address their weaknesses following self evaluation and Ofsted reports to support this, we funded the production of a self evaluation tool for both primary and secondary schools. Additionally, 200 initial teacher training places in Citizenship education are being made available each year and the DfES has published a CPD handbook and is funding 1200 Citizenship Continuing Professional Development (CPD) places over the next two years to enable Citizenship teachers to broaden and deepen their subject knowledge. We continue to support the Association of Citizenship Teachers and work with a range of organisations to provide resources and support for teachers.

Citizenship Education

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if he will introduce a formal qualification in citizenship;
	(2)  whether he plans to extend the length of time secondary school pupils spend studying citizenship;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the effect of citizenship classes on tackling extremism.

Jim Knight: A short course GCSE in Citizenship Studies has been offered since 2003. This was developed to give pupils the opportunity to obtain a qualification recognizing their achievements at key stage 4. Over 54,000 candidates took the GCSE in 2006, an increase from 38,000 in 2005. It remains the fastest growing GCSE subject. Due to demand from schools we have developed subject criteria for both a full course GCSE and A Level with a view to examination boards offering these qualifications.
	There is no specified amount of time schools must teach citizenship. Schools are free to teach the subject in the way which best suits their school and pupils' circumstances. We believe this flexibility is important in maintaining the ability of schools to provide delivery of citizenship tailored to the needs of their pupils.
	Education can help to break down class and social barriers and plays a critical role in promoting respect and understanding. One of the aims of Citizenship Education is to educate pupils about appropriate forms of political engagement, legal and human rights and responsibilities and to engage in debates about political, moral and social issues. Schools are also required to teach pupils about the importance of resolving conflict fairly.

Government Social Research Service

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost was of the Government Social Research Service in his Department in each of the last five years; how many projects have been completed by the Service in that period; and how many people are employed in the Service in his Department.

Jim Knight: This information is not available in the form requested. There are currently 39 (full-time equivalent) members of the Government Social Research Service employed in the Department for Education and Skills. The annual salary cost of these staff is 1.43 million. In 2005 there were 48.4 full-time equivalent staff and their salary cost was 1.72 million.
	Research and analysis in the Department is conducted by multi-disciplinary teams. It is not possible, therefore, to say how many research projects were completed by social researchers alone as they often work jointly with economists, statisticians and operational researchers. The total number of research projects completed for the Department in each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2001-02 119 
			 2002-03 142 
			 2003-04 143 
			 2004-05 253 
			 2005-06 103

Graduate Employment

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions officials in his Department have had with their counterparts in the Department for Work and Pensions on the employment prospects of graduates.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 24 October 2006
	There have been no discussions recently. But we continue to encourage and support developments in the HE sector that help UK graduates compete effectively in the domestic and global employment market.
	Bodies like the Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE) and Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) help to articulate the demands of very diverse groups of employers, and the Sector Skills Councils are providing a detailed picture of the needs within particular sectors of the economy.
	In response, the HE sector continues to find practical ways to respond to the diversity of employers' needs. For example, the Higher Education Academy and its Subject Centres have, with CIHE's help, compiled Student Employability Profiles that map courses against the competencies and attributes graduate employers value when recruiting. Within Subject Centres there is active sharing of good practice in developing employability skills within degrees and other HE provision. Individual HE institutions are taking forward a range of measures designed to improve graduates employability, for example by introducing work placements, personal development planning or helping students to develop critical and interpersonal skills. In some cases employers are directly involved in the design and delivery of courses to ensure they will equip students with the necessary skills (for instance, the Ernst and Young Degree in Accounting, Auditing and Finance delivered in partnership with the Lancaster University Management School and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland).

Head Teachers

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures his Department is taking to tackle shortages of head teachers in secondary schools.

Jim Knight: Since 1997, secondary head teacher vacancies have remained low and fairly stable0.9 per cent. (30 posts) in January 2006. However, we are aware that some schools find it more difficult than others to recruit head teachers, and that demographic issues may make it harder in future. Through our work with the NCSL and other steps, such as the PwC study into school leadership, we are working to address this.

Heartlands Development, Haringey

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost was of  (a) hiring the Decorum centre in Wood Green and  (b) providing refreshments for the Department's public meeting on 3 October on sponsorship of the new school to be built on the Heartlands development in Haringey.

Parmjit Dhanda: Haringey local authority published their notice inviting proposals from potential promoters for the new secondary school on the Heartlands development on 4 September. The seminar hosted by the Office of Public Management at the Decorium centre on 3 October was an open meeting intended to provide information about Haringey's plans for the new school and the procedure for submitting proposals.
	The cost of hiring the Decorium centre was 1,762.50. The cost of refreshments was 515.09. Both figures include value added tax.

Opinion Polling

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on what issues his Department has conducted opinion polling in the last 12 months; and what the cost of each poll was.

Phil Hope: The Department has undertaken two public opinion surveys within the last 12 months. The first surveyed 500 parents and 500 non-parents to measure their perceptions of education, skills and children's services. The survey ran over three wavesDecember 2005, March 2006 and June 2006 and each wave cost 17,023 excluding VAT. We will publish a summary of the survey results on the DfES website later this month.
	The second was a telephone poll conducted by Mori into the attitudes to fees in further education on behalf of the Department. The poll covered 2,000 members of the public in England and ran in September 2005. The cost of the MORI poll was 42,700 excluding VAT and the findings were published on the 11 November 2005.

Post-16 Education

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment his Department makes of  (a) the demographics of an area and  (b) existing supply in determining the need for post-16 places when establishing academies.

Jim Knight: The Department takes into account the levels of socio-economic disadvantage in the area where the school to be replaced with an academy is located. These levels are considered both for the wards from which that school's pupils come, and for the wards in direct proximity to the school. The measures of socio-economic disadvantage which the Department uses are based on income, employment, health, education, housing, child poverty and access to services.
	The Department also takes into account the existing supply of post-16 places in the local area. Every academy proposal which is submitted to the Department must be endorsed by the local Learning and Skills Council. Post-16 places at academies also form part of local authority-wide plans for pupil places. The local authority must provide justification for the number of pupil places it proposes for an academy, specifically including the number of post-16 places it plans to offer.

School Buildings

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what requirements for low and zero carbon buildings are made by the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Jim Knight: Energy targets for school projects within BSF are set within part L of the Building Regulations which require that buildings that are constructed to today's standards are 40 per cent. more energy efficient (i.e. emit 40 per cent. less carbon through energy use) than those built five years ago.
	Part L Building Regulations also require that renewable energy sources and other low carbon technologies are considered, and implemented where technically, practically and economically feasible. The regulations set an overall target for carbon emissions which implies that 10 per cent. of a building's energy demand is met using renewable energy technologieswhere renewable energy technologies are not adopted then the overall carbon reduction target must be met in other ways (e.g. through improved energy efficiency). Many planning authorities have also introduced a specific requirement for renewable energy which is typically set at 10 per cent. of predicted energy demand, and new schools must satisfy these local planning requirements.

School Grounds

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the proportion of schools whose land includes at least the area designated as  (a) sport pitches,  (b) soft informal and social,  (c) games courts (hard surfaced),  (d) hard informal and social and  (e) habitat area recommended by the Briefing Framework for Secondary School Projects.

Jim Knight: Data on areas of schools sport pitches, soft informal and social areas, games courts, hard informal and social areas and habitat areas are not held by the Department.

School Staff

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many  (a) teachers and  (b) teaching assistants were employed in the East Midlands in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) each of the preceding five years.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of teachers and teaching assistants employed in the maintained sector in the East Midlands in each January from 2001 to 2006.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent number of teachers and teaching assistants employed in maintained schools in the East Midlands in each January from 2001 to 2006 
			   Teachers( 1)  Teaching Assistants( 2) 
			 2001 34,500 8,200 
			 2002 34,900 9,300 
			 2003 35,700 10,100 
			 2004 36,200 10,800 
			 2005 36,400 12,600 
			 2006 36,900 13,500 
			  Note:  Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.   Sources:(  1) DfES annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, (618g).  (2) Annual School Census.

Student Finance

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost was to his Department of subsidising the interest rate on accumulated student debt for 2005-06; and what the Department's estimate is of any change in this annual cost as a result of the Higher Education Act 2004 and the deferral of variable tuition fees.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 24 October 2006
	The cost of subsidising the annual rate of interest on the stock of English and Welsh maintenance loans was 355 million in FY 2005-06. This is the amount released from the interest subsidy provision as stated in the FY 05-06 departmental resource accounts. The calculation of annual cost is based on a number of variable factors, including the closing and average values of the loan stock, the cost of capital and interest added to the loans each year.
	Future cost estimates are calculated on a long-term basis over the lifetime of loans as part of the resource accounting and budgeting (RAB) charges, which take into account both interest subsidy and write offs. There are separate RAB charges for maintenance and fee loans. My written statement of 10 November 2005 provides future estimates of maintenance and fee loan RAB charge costs for AY 2006-07.

University Degree Courses

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students were enrolled on degree courses at universities in the north-west in each of the last five years.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 24 October 2006
	The latest available information is shown in the table below for 2000/01 to 2004/05. Figures for 2005/06 will be available in January 2007.
	
		
			  Number of students ( 1)  enrolled on undergraduate higher education courses at higher education institutions in the north-west government office region 
			   Number of students in north-west GO region 
			  Academic year  First degree ( 2) Other undergraduate  Total undergraduate 
			 2000/01 114,635 46,740 161,380 
			 2001/02 119,510 49,300 168,810 
			 2002/03 125,580 50,155 175,735 
			 2003/04 130,250 55,360 185,615 
			 2004/05 132,310 54,455 186,765 
			 (1) Figures cover all undergraduate students from the UK and overseas on full-time and part-time courses.(2) Include students on foundation degrees, HMDs, HNCs and other undergraduate courses. Note:Figures are on a HESA Standard Registration Population basis. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5, so components may not sum to totals. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record data.

Violent Crime Reduction Bill

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he expects guidance regarding Clause 43 of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill to be produced; and whether such guidance will be produced by  (a) his Department and  (b) the Learning and Skills Council; and if he will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: Clause 43 (now Clause 46) of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill is an enabling power that an FE institution may, or may not, choose to use. FE institutions (as independent organisations) are responsible for their own health and safety arrangements and it is for them to assess health and safety risks and implement the appropriate control measures. The Department has no plans to issue specific guidance to FE institutions.
	However, it will make available the guidance we produce for schools which FE institutions may find helpful. The LSC similarly has no plans to issue guidance but will continue to support colleagues in FE institutions.

Welsh Students (Further and Higher Education)

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students from  (a) Wrexham and  (b) Wales started courses in (i) further education colleges and (ii) universities in England in the last five years for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: The following table shows numbers of students from Wales and from Wrexham in particular who enrolled in (i) further education colleges and (ii) universities in England. Figures for further education (FE) are only available for three years from 2002/03. FE learning is funded in England by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and statistics derive from the Individual Learner Record (ILR). The FE ILR was collated for the first time in 2002/03 and comparable figures are only available from that point. Figures for higher education institutions are taken from data collected annually by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
	
		
			  Table 1: Enrolments at further education colleges and higher education institutions in England for students domiciled( 1)  in Wales and Wrexham parliamentary constituency 
			   Further education colleges  Higher education institutions( 2) 
			   Wales  Wrexham  Wales  Wrexham 
			 2004/05 8,525 420 32,900 1,005 
			 2003/04 8,375 400 33,150 1,010 
			 2002/03 7,550 375 32,305 975 
			 2001/02 n/a n/a 32,315 955 
			 2000/01 n/a n/a 31,830 910 
			 n/a = not available  (1) Figures for both FECs and HEIs are based on the permanent address prior to enrolment.  (2) Figures for HEIs may contain a small element of double counting. Some students enrolled at HEIs and who are on courses franchised to FECs are included in the HEI figures but may-also have been included in the FEC.

Ballpoint Pens

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1646W, on ballpoint pens, what use is being made of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister-branded pens; how much was spent between 2002 and the abolition of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on ODPM branded products and promotional gifts; and what types of goods were purchased.

Angela Smith: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) branded pens are being used to write with, and will continue to be used as standard stationery items until stocks are exhausted.
	Between May 2002 and May 2006 a total of 5,095 was spent on ODPM branded pens, carrier bags, and note pads.
	These items were used at exhibitions and events to help promote the office's schemes and policies.

Broadband

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  whether it is her policy to exempt local loop unbundling broadband operators from paying non-domestic rates; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment her Department has made of the impact of non-domestic rates on local loop unbundling upon the wholesale broadband market; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  whether local loop unbundling will be exempt from non-domestic rates after 31 March 2008; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  what discussions her Department has had with  (a) BT and  (b) local loop unbundling operators on the payment of non-domestic rates on unbundled local loops; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: Liability for non-domestic rates on unbundled local loops is determined by the Central Rating List (England) Regulations 2006 which provide that, until 31 March 2008, unbundled local loops are part of British Telecommunications Ltd. (BT) single central list hereditament.
	Local loop operators pay an annual cost-oriented rental charge to BT for each loop they unbundle. Included in the rental charge is an amount BT is entitled to recover as a contribution to their non-domestic rates bill.
	The consultation paper issued by the Department in December 2005 proposed this arrangement and also invited comments on the long term options. It was recognised that further detailed analysis of the options was needed before a long term solution could be implemented. The Department intends to issue a further consultation paper including a partial Regulatory Impact Assessment once the detailed analysis work is completed. It is envisaged the outcome of the further consultation will determine whether BT continues to pay non-domestic rates for unbundled local loops or whether the non-domestic rates liability for the loops will shift to local loop unbundling operators.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government, The Department for Trade and Industry, the Valuation Office Agency and Ofcom have held formal and informal discussions with BT and local loop unbundling operators on this subject and there will be further discussions as part of the work on determining the long term solution.

City Development Corporations

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how her proposed city development corporations will interact with  (a) local authorities,  (b) regional chambers and  (c) regional development agencies.

Yvette Cooper: The concept of a city development company is a flexible one, and it is sensible for places to decide the approach that works best for them. We will want to see efficiency, innovation and delivery aligned with accountability to local government, Regional Development Agency support, and strategic fit with Regional Economic Strategies, the Regional Spatial Strategy and other relevant regional and sub-regional strategies. We will consult on draft guidance for city development companies following the Local Government White Paper.

City Development Corporations

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding she has allocated to promote city development corporations.

Yvette Cooper: The Government will not be making decisions on funding allocations for future years in advance of the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007. We will consult on draft guidance for city development companies following the Local Government White Paper.

Connect Programme

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) budget and  (b) purpose is of the Government Connect 'GC Accounts' programme.

Angela Smith: 'Government Connect Accounts' is part of the Government Connect Programme. The total Government Connect programme budget is 26.5 million.
	Government Connect is an initiative led by local authorities, the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Cabinet Office to provide a common infrastructure for secure electronic interaction between local government, central Government and citizens. The Government Connect Accounts element of the programme is used to check user identity and is currently working with other government identity management initiatives to make use of cross-government standards and technologies.

Council Homes

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the cost of bringing all council homes up to the decent homes standard in each local authority which does not have tenant support for stock transfer, private finance initiative or arm's length management organisation and which has indicated that it cannot meet the standard using its own resources.

Yvette Cooper: Only one local authority, the London borough of Camden, is not pursuing an arms length management organisation or stock transfer, and has reported that it can not meet the decent homes standard using existing resources. Camden is using PFI to deliver decent homes for part of its stock.
	Camden has reported that the cost to make decent all of their dwellings below the decent homes standard at 1 April 2005 was 261,000,000.
	 Source:
	Business Plan Annual Monitoring Return 2005.

Departmental Staff  International Planning

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many full-time equivalent staff work in her Department's International Planning division;
	(2)  if she will place in the Library a copy of each edition of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's International Planning Newsletter.

Yvette Cooper: The International Planning and Emerging Policies Branch within the Planning Directorate has responsibility for coordinating the UK's contribution to the work led by EU member states on Territorial Cohesion. The staff resource identified for this work amounts to the equivalent of one full-time staff member.
	Production of an International Planning Newsletter was discontinued two years ago.

Energy Efficiency (Building Regulations)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what criteria were used to  (a) include carbon emitting technology and  (b) exclude thermal mass and night-time cooling from the new L2 building regulations iSBEM model; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the performance of the software model iSBEM that has been launched in support of the new building regulations L2; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM) was developed to conform to the emerging European standards for energy calculations and therefore it has incorporated those energy flows for which procedures have been developed in the draft European Standards (prENs).
	The impact of thermal mass on energy demand is included in the energy calculation as far as its impact on normal heating and cooling strategies are concerned. SBEM does not address night cooling strategies because this is difficult in a monthly calculation method like SBEM. It was always recognised that certain design features would not be included in early versions of SBEM, and that is why the Government included in the overall National Calculation Methodology the option to use more detailed hourly simulation models, which can address features such as night cooling. This means that options exist whereby any design strategy can be assessed in terms of its contribution at achieving compliance with Part L.
	The SBEM calculation method has been developed in close discussion with industry who have been provided with beta test versions and invited to test the tool and provide feedback on their experience. The tool has also been used on a number of case studies in both this country and abroad.

Energy Efficiency (Building Regulations)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will take steps to include passive heating techniques in the Code for Sustainable Homes.

Angela Smith: Passive heating techniques are recognised in the Government's Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) for the calculation of energy efficiency. It is intended to use SAP in the Code for Sustainable Homes, and accordingly the Code will give credit for passive heating techniques.

Green Belt

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what total acreage of land was designated as greenbelt in each of the last 20 years.

Yvette Cooper: The total area of land designated as Green Belt in England for each year for which data are available is presented in the following table:
	
		
			   Area (Hectares) 
			 1993 1,555,700 
			 1997 1,652,300 
			 2003 1,671,400 
			 2004 1,678,200 
			  Source:  DCLG Statistical Releases: Green Belt Statistics, England. 
		
	
	The total area of land designated as Green Belt in Scotland for which data are available is for 2004: 144,000 hectares.
	 Source:
	The Scottish Executive.
	There is no designated Green Belt in Wales.

Home Inspectors

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government where the number of the Government Home Inspector advice line is publicised; and whether this number is solely for advice on home information packs.

Yvette Cooper: The Home Inspector advice line number is publicised on the Departments website, the Home Information Packs subsite, the home inspector careers website and other general careers publications. The telephone number is 08000 567160.
	This number is to advise potential Home Inspector candidates on their training opportunities, rather than as a general contact point for the public.

Home Insulation

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many inspectors for home insulation had their accreditations withdrawn in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many inspectors of home insulation were accredited in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: Central records are not kept. The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme in Wales is administered for the National Assembly for Wales by the EAGA Group which employs a number of contractors to carry out insulation works under the grant scheme.

Housing

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effect on private sector tenants who find it difficult financially to take on local authority accommodation in cases when councils have been successful in meeting the Government's void times targets.

Yvette Cooper: Best Value Performance Indicator (BVPI) BV212 measures the average time taken to re-let local authority housing. BV212 does not differentiate according to the type of tenure the person was in prior to the letting, nor does it look at the effect a local authority let has on the financial circumstances of the a tenant who was previously housed in the private rented sector. Targets set against BV212 are determined by individual local authorities themselves and not by the Government.

Housing

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people were classified as  (a) homeless and  (b) unsuitably housed in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.

Yvette Cooper: Information about local authorities' actions under homelessness legislation is collected in respect of households rather than persons. The number of households accepted by local authorities in England as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and consequently owed the main homelessness duty, in each year since 1997-98; and the number of households in temporary accommodation arranged by the authority under homelessness legislation as at 31 March of each year, are in the following table. From 1998, information has also been collected on the number of people who sleep roughthat is, those who are literally roofless on a single nightand these are presented in the tables.
	
		
			   Households accepted( 1)  as owed a main duty during the year  Households in temporary accommodation( 2 ) at end of year (31 March) 
			 1997-98 102,430 47,520 
			 1998-99 104,260 56,580 
			 1999-00 105,580 65,170 
			 2000-01 114,670 75,200 
			 2001-02 116,660 80,210 
			 2002-03 128,540 89,040 
			 2003-04 135,430 97,680 
			 2004-05 120,860 101,070 
			 2005-06 93,980 96,370 
			 (1) Households eligible under homelessness legislation, found to be unintentionally homeless and in a priority need category, and consequently owed a main homelessness duty.  (2) Households in accommodation either pending a decision on their homelessness application or awaiting allocation of a settled home following acceptance. Excludes those households designated as homeless at home that have remained in their existing accommodation and have the same rights to suitable alternative accommodation as those in accommodation arranged by the authority.  (3) Mid-year estimates Source: DCLG P1E Homelessness returns (quarterly); and Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (annual) (for Rough Sleepers data) 
		
	
	
		
			   Rough Sleepers( 1)  (number of persons) June 
			 1998 1,850 
			 1999 1,633 
			 2000 1,180 
			 2001 703 
			 2002 596 
			 2003 504 
			 2004 508 
			 2005 459 
			 2006 502 
			 (1) Mid-year estimates. 
		
	
	Data on acceptances and households in temporary accommodation for each local authority area since 1997-98, and rough sleeper figures back to 1998, have already been placed in the Library this month (PQ 8631 (Andrew Rosindell)).
	There is no general definition of 'unsuitable' housing. The available estimates for the number of unfit homes (as defined by Section 604 of the 1989 Local Government and Housing Act) are provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of unfit homes in England, 1991 to 2004 
			   Number (thousand)  Percentage of all homes 
			 1991 1,498 7.6 
			 1996 1,522 7.5 
			 2001 902 4.3 
			 2003 1,005 4.7 
			 2004 985 4.6 
			  Note:  1. Unfit homes are those which fail the statutory minimum standard as defined by the Fitness Standard. From 2006 figures will be based on the Housing Health and Safety Rating System which replaced the Fitness Standard following the 2004 Housing Act.   Source:  DCLG : English House Condition Surveys 
		
	
	Each local authority makes its own independent assessment of unfitness which it reports in its annual Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix. These figures are also published by my Department and are available on the DCLG website from 2001-02 at the following address:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1156544
	For methodological reasons the figures from the English House Condition Survey are used as the most reliable national estimate of the overall scale of unfitness and indicator of any trend.

Housing

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many empty properties there have been in each local authority area in Suffolk in each year since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: For the number of empty properties in each local authority in Suffolk in each year since 1997 I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for North Cornwall (Mr. Rogerson) on 25 July 2006,  Official Report, Column 1604W.

Housing

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to increase funding to social housing enablers.

Barry Gardiner: I have been asked to reply.
	Rural Housing Enablers (RHEs) work with rural communities, local authorities, landowners, and housing associations to help identify rural housing needs and find appropriate solutions. There are currently 40 RHEs in post, supported by funding from local authorities, housing associations and Defra. They act independently of any single organisation, usually located in the offices of the county Rural Community Council, while some sit within the offices of the local authority. Defra has committed funding to support RHEs through the Rural Social and Community Programme, this is fixed until March 2008.

Housing

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether teachers working in the independent sector are eligible to obtain key worker housing.

Yvette Cooper: No, the Key Worker Living programme is for public sector workers only. Teachers employed in state maintained nursery (early years) primary or secondary schools and some further education institutes are eligible to apply for assistance.

Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how long homes built under the Key Worker Living Initiative have to remain empty before alternative uses can be found.

Yvette Cooper: Each scheme is dealt with on an individual basis taking into account the marketing activities of the registered social landlord and local market demand and supply. There is flexibility which allows for changes to tenure and widening of the eligibility criteria where local evidence demonstrates that this is needed and where no added grant is required. Scheme review will be triggered only where units have been empty for at least three months.

Landlords

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make it her policy to collect empty homes data in respect of registered social landlords.

Yvette Cooper: Data on empty homes for register social landlords (RSLs) are collected on the regulatory and statistical return of the Housing Corporation (Long form) which is completed by those RSLs which have 250 or more dwelling and bedspaces.
	Information on vacant general needs vacant dwelling is published on Department for Communities and Local Government website on Table 613 at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/pub/26/table613_idl156026.xls

Local Government Reform

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library the submissions sent by individuals and organisations in Gloucestershire on the subject of local government reform following the visit of the right hon. Member for South Shields to Gloucestershire.

Phil Woolas: We have received five written representations from the Gloucestershire county area about local government reform; we will send redacted copies to my right. hon. Friend.

Planning

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the publication by her Department of the Proposed Amendment to the Town and County Planning (Regional Planning) England Regulations 2004, what proportion of relevant local authorities within a region must be affiliated to the regional chamber in order for it to be recognised as a regional planning board.

Yvette Cooper: The proposed amendment to Town and Country Planning (Regional Planning) (England) Regulations 2004 does not change the existing legislative requirement for regional planning bodies to include at least one member from each of type of relevant authority, if such an authority exists within the region concerned. Where a relevant authority means
	(a) a district council,
	(b) a county council,
	(c) a metropolitan district council,
	(d) a National park authority,
	(e) the Broads authority,
	(f) the Council of the Isles of Scilly
	In addition, at least 60 percent. of the membership of regional planning bodies must be from local planning authorities.

Refuse Collection

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department has provided to local authorities on moving from weekly to fortnightly collection of domestic rubbish.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	Defra has not issued guidance to local authorities on alternate weekly collection of household waste.
	The Environmental Protection Act 1990 does not stipulate how local authorities should discharge their household waste collection duties, nor the frequency with which collections have to be made. Each authority is free to choose its own method of collection and the priority, degree of effort and resources required.
	The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has produced guidance which is used by local authorities when considering the introduction of alternate week collection of waste. This is available from WRAP's website: http://www.wrap.org.uk/local_authorities/toolkits_good_practice/index.html.
	An Interim Report on the Health Impact Assessment of Alternate Week Waste Collection is also available on the local authority support pages of Defra's website: http://lasupport.defra.gov.uk/ViewDocument_Image.aspx?Doc_ID=362.

Regeneration (Thames Gateway)

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which of the local planning authorities in the Thames Gateway have up-to-date urban capacity assessments.

Yvette Cooper: All of the local planning authorities in the Thames Gateway have current urban capacity studies. Where the urban capacity studies are not up to date they are either in the process of being reviewed or will be reviewed as the local planning authority in question develops the evidence base for the development documents in the Local Development Framework.

Sexual Orientation Discrimination Regulations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made with the proposed Sexual Orientation Discrimination Regulations; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Munn: I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer given on 19 October by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Sustainable Communities

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Deputy Prime Minister's Award for Sustainable Communities has been abolished.

Yvette Cooper: The awards have not been abolished. The Department for Communities and Local Government continues to acknowledge the importance of recognising and sharing best practice through awards, which we consider a valuable element in a comprehensive approach to raising standards.
	We have asked the Academy for Sustainable Communities (ASC) to expand and manage the Awards on our behalf from 2006 onwards.
	The awards will continue to recognise projects and initiatives that make a particular contribution to making towns, cities and communities better places to live and work. They underline the Department's objectives in this regard, reward individuals for personal contributions and help to identify best practice examples from which others can be encouraged to learn.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1680W to the hon. Member for Hammersmith and Fulham (Mr. Hands), on the Valuation Office Agency, what property attributes are used within the Multiple Regression Models.

Phil Woolas: The following property attributes are considered for Multiple Regression Analysis:
	Area (i.e. size)
	Property Group (i.e. architectural style)
	Property Type
	Age
	Number of Garage spaces
	Number of Parking spaces
	Additional Bathrooms (over one)
	Purpose Built Flat indicator (flats and maisonettes only)
	Converted Flat indicator (flats and maisonettes only)
	'No Lift' indicator (flats and maisonettes only)
	End Terraced or Cluster House indicator (houses only)
	Terraced, End Terraced and Cluster Bungalow indicator (bungalows only)
	Floor Level (flats and maisonettes only)
	Maisonette indicator
	Ratio of Plot Size to Area (houses and bungalows only)
	Subsidised Dwelling Indicator (Z_ code)
	Multiple Regression Analysis uses sale prices combined with property attribute data to establish which of these aspects are significant in explaining variance in sale price in a given valuation area and what contributory effect each attribute has.

Corporation Tax

Alan Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue has been generated by corporation tax receipts in each year since 1997; and what percentage of total tax receipts was raised through corporation tax in the same period.

Dawn Primarolo: Historic corporation tax receipts data can be found at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_receipts/menu.htm. Data on total net taxes and national insurance contributions are published in table C1 of the Public Finances Databank which can be found at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/economic_data_and_tools/finance_spending_statistics/pubsec_finance/psf_databank.cfm.

Departmental Land and Property

Robert Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Government-owned land and property has been sold by the Department since 1997.

John Healey: In the period since 1997 HM Treasury has sold one property. This was in 2004-05 when 100 Parliament Street was sold to HM Revenue and Customs. Further details of the transaction can be obtained from HM Treasury's Annual Resource Accounts in paragraphs 31, 34 and 41 of the Operating and Financial Review, on pages 8 and 9.
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/3A6/1E/resource_accounts_2004-5.pdf

Enterprise Investment Scheme

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the Enterprise Investment Scheme in creating new company start ups.

John Healey: In April 2003, HM Revenue and Customs published research into the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) carried out by PACEC and the Centre for Business Research at the University of Cambridge (available at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/research/report.pdf). This research concluded that the EIS scheme has met its objective of encouraging more investment by individuals in smaller, high risk trading companies, which in turn has increased their potential to grow and become successful.

Enterprise Investment Scheme

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many investors sought tax relief under the Enterprise Investment Scheme in each of the last five financial years; and what the value was of  (a) income tax and  (b) capital gains tax relief in each year.

John Healey: The numbers of subscriptions made to invest through the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) are published by HMRC as National Statistics, see Table 8.1'Companies and amount of investment, number of subscriptions, business angels and amounts invested' at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/ent_invest_scheme/table8-1.pdf.
	The number of subscriptions is not equal to the number of investors as an individual can invest in more than one company.
	Estimates of the aggregate cost of tax relief are published by HMRC as National Statistics, see Table 1.5'Main tax expenditures and structural reliefs' at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/1_5_apr06.pdf
	The estimated split between income tax and capital gains tax relief from 2001-02 to 2004-05 are:
	
		
			   million 
			  Tax year  Cost of income tax relief  Cost of capital gains tax relief 
			 2001-02 60 190 
			 2002-03 50 150 
			 2003-04 45 135 
			 2004-05(1) 40 130 
			 (1 )Figure subject to revision, as more information becomes available. It is too early to give reliable estimates for 2005-06.

Public Sector Wages

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been employed in the public sector in each year since 1980-81; and what the public sector wage bill was in each such year.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 October 2006:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many people have been employed in the public sector in each year from 1980-81 and what the public sector wage bill was in each such year. (96010).
	Public sector employment statistics are published in the quarterly Public Sector Employment First Release which is available on the National Statistics website (http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/pse0906.pdf). The latest information available is for Quarter 2 (June) 2006.
	Consistent time series are available back to 1991 from Table 1 of the above publication. For earlier estimates (which are on a different basis) figures are sourced from the July 2004 edition of Labour Market Trends. The break follows a review of Public Sector Employment statistics in 2004 which resulted in improvements to coverage and timeliness.
	The figures for 1980-2006 are shown in the table below with 1991 presented on both bases to indicate the break in the series.
	Statistics on compensation of employees in the public sector are published in the UK National Accounts (Blue Book) which is available on the National Statistics website. The latest information available is for the year 2005.
	Consistent time series are available back to 1980 from Table 3.2.2 (Public Corporations) and Table 5.1.2 (General Government) of the above publication.
	
		
			  Public sector employment: UK, 1980-2006 
			  Thousand 
			  Year (June)  Headcount 
			 1980 7,387 
			 1981 7,185 
			 1982 7,021 
			 1983 6,952 
			 1984 6,900 
			 1985 6,569 
			 1986 6,534 
			 1987 6,359 
			 1988 6,315 
			 1989 6,084 
			 1990 6,052 
			 1991 5,848 
			 1991 5,979 
			 1992 5,905 
			 1993 5,593 
			 1994 5,430 
			 1995 5,368 
			 1996 5,268 
			 1997 5,174 
			 1998 5,163 
			 1999 5,207 
			 2000 5,288 
			 2001 5,378 
			 2002 5,485 
			 2003 5,641 
			 2004 5,756 
			 2005 5,849 
			 2006 5,840 
			  Source:ONS 
		
	
	
		
			  Compensation of public sector employees: UK, 1980-2005 
			   million 
			  Calendar year  General government  Public corporations 
			 1980 30,159 16,216 
			 1981 34,211 17,524 
			 1982 36,981 18,636 
			 1983 40,101 19,075 
			 1984 41,859 18,512 
			 1985 44,061 17,081 
			 1986 47,347 18,415 
			 1987 51,591 15,721 
			 1988 55,816 15,014 
			 1989 59,417 15,330 
			 1990 64,709 14,576 
			 1991 70,400 13,453 
			 1992 75,987 14,957 
			 1993 77,183 12,810 
			 1994 76,062 12,182 
			 1995 78,121 12,000 
			 1996 82,265 11,048 
			 1997 83,888 10,139 
			 1998 85,475 10,367 
			 1999 89,719 10,935 
			 2000 95,536 11,399 
			 2001 103,401 11,707 
			 2002 111,352 12,382 
			 2003 121,625 12,368 
			 2004 130,777 12,656 
			 2005 139,183 12,965 
			  Source:ONS

Voluntary Organisations

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent considerations he has given to permitting the reclamation of VAT on fundraising activities by voluntary organisations.

Dawn Primarolo: Under the normal rules of VAT, VAT registered voluntary organisations can reclaim the VAT that they incur, including on their fundraising costs, when this relates to taxable business activities.
	Charities also benefit from special VAT exemptions and reliefs on the income of certain fundraising activitiessuch as the sale of goods and services at certain fundraising events, and the sale of donated goods. European VAT agreements entered into by successive governments mean that it is not possible to extend these fundraising reliefs and exemptions, or to introduce any new ones.
	The voluntary sector's irrecoverable VAT costs have been considered by the Government in two major reviews since 1997. In the course of these reviews it was not possible to find a VAT solution that was practical, efficient, affordable, well-targeted and based on principle. Therefore, the Government have focused their support for charitable giving outside the VAT system, for example through Gift Aid, under which charities can claim the equivalent of 28p for every 1 donated. In 2005-06 the Government repaid 728 million to charities under this scheme.

Macular Degeneration

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will request that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence simultaneously appraises Avastin and Lucentis for the treatment of macular degeneration.

Andy Burnham: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently appraising Lucentis (ranibizuman) alongside another drug, Macugen (pegaptanib), for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration. NICE expects to publish its guidance to the national health service in August 2007. The Department has not current plans to ask NICE to appraise Avastin for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration.

Care Homes

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what star rating each care home in the East Riding of Yorkshire received in the last report published by the Commission for Social Care Inspection; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: I understand from the chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that it proposes to introduce new quality, or star, ratings for all 28,000 care providers in England by the mid-2007, which will allow service users and the public to see easily whether care providers are excellent, good, adequate or poor.
	CSCI inspectors prepare a report after each inspection of a care home, which sets out what the service does well and lists any improvements that need to be made.
	A CSCI report of a care home assesses each aspect of the services provided by reference to the Government's national minimum standards, which form the basis of what people should expect from care services.
	CSCI reports for care homes are available on its website at www.csci.org.uk.

Choose and Book

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what percentage of outpatient appointments were made using choose and book in the last period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what percentage of outpatient appointments were made using choose and book in the last period for which figures are available; and how many urgent referrals have been made as a proportion of the total referrals.

Ivan Lewis: In the week ending Sunday 24 September 2006, approximately 27 percent., of general practitioner outpatient referrals were made using choose and book. No data is collected centrally on the priority of referrals.

Chorley Hospital

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the five most common reasons were for  (a) out-patient and  (b) in-patient admissions to Chorley hospital in the most recent period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many people were admitted to Chorley hospital accident and emergency department in each of the last three years;
	(3)  what the most common reason was for admission to Chorley hospital accident and emergency department in the most recent period for which figures are available;
	(4)  how many ambulance admissions there were to  (a) Chorley hospital and  (b) Preston hospital accident and emergency departments in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andy Burnham: Data for individual hospitals is not collected centrally. The data in this answer relates to the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust. Information on ambulance admissions is not collected centrally.
	Details of admissions via accident and emergency (A and E) departments are contained in the following table:
	
		
			  Count of finished admission episodes for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust  Admission methods selected: Emergencyvia A and E services, including casualty department of provider, Emergencyother means, including patients who arrive via A and E department of another health care provider 
			   Finished admission episodes 
			 2002-03 15,377 
			 2003-04 16,177 
			 2004-05 16,592 
			  Notes:  1. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.  2. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).  3. Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The Information Centre for Health and Social Care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. Whilst this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.   Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for Health and Social Care. 
		
	
	The five most common reasons for admission in 2004-05 were:
	unknown and unspecified causes of morbidity;
	pain in throat and chest;
	syncope and collapse;
	angina pectoris; and
	other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Community Hospitals

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 25 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1207W, on community hospitals, what assessment her Department has made of the need for community hospital beds across England in the next five years.

Andy Burnham: We will consider proposals from primary care trusts (PCTs) under this programme. PCTs are in the best position to assess the needs of their local communities for these facilities.
	The Department is committed to allocating 750 million capital funding to PCTs for new community hospitals and facilities over the next five years. We welcome bids from all PCTs. and other interested providers, for example from the voluntary sector, whose strategic health authorities submitted applications to the Department by 21 October.

Health Inequalities

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards reducing health inequalities within  (a) England and  (b) London.

Caroline Flint: Progress on reducing health inequalities in England is measured against the public service agreement (PSA) target and the 12 headline indicators set out in the national health inequalities strategy, the Programme for Action. The most recent report, the Status Report on the Programme for Action, published in August 2005, shows that the gap in life expectancy and infant mortality has continued to widen since the target baseline. The life expectancy gap has increased by 1 per cent. for males and 8 per cent. for females. The gap in infant mortality has increased from 13 per cent. to 19 per cent. The 12 national headline indicators monitor those programmes and policies that are expected to make a significant impact on health inequalities. The report shows no change for most indicators but early progress in three key areas:
	reductions in child poverty;
	improvements in housing quality; and
	a reduction in the inequalities in cardiovascular disease and cancer death rates, in absolute terms.
	In London, five of the 11 spearhead local authority areas covered by the London strategic health authority are making sufficient progress to narrow the life expectancy gap for both men and women in line with target of reducing the gap by 10 per cent. by 2010. A further four areas are on track to narrow the gap for males or females. The remaining two areas are currently off track to meet the 2010 target.

Oxygen Deliveries

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 October to question reference 90232, how many and what percentage of oxygen deliveries have been incomplete since the introduction of the new contract, broken down by trust.

Andy Burnham: The Department receives reports from all suppliers on the overall number of failed deliveries to track supplier progress by home oxygen service region. This data shows evidence of continuing improvement in service delivery to the required response times.
	However, the Department does not collect or hold centrally information on failed deliveries in the form requested. Suppliers are required to provide performance data on meeting delivery times directly to primary care trusts, which have responsibility for the day-to-day local management of this service.

Oxygen Deliveries

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints her Department has received in 2006 about the oxygen supply service run by  (a) Air Products,  (b) BOC and  (c) community pharmacists.

Andy Burnham: From 1 January to 12 October 2006, the Department received 222 letters about the home oxygen service. Of these, 88 mentioned Air Products, 40 mentioned BOC Gases and 94 mentioned community pharmacy. Not all the correspondence relating to these service providers are complaints about the service provided to patients and many of these letters refer to one or more service providers.
	However, problems emerged in the delivery of this service in the early days of managing the transfer of patients receiving a cylinder service from community pharmacies to new suppliers such as Air Products and BOC. We have been working closely with the NHS, including community pharmacists, and all new suppliers to address these problems. New suppliers are required to provide primary care trusts with regular data on the number of complaints as part of performance management of this service contract. The Department also receives high-level complaints data from suppliers as part of monitoring the implementation of these service changes. This data demonstrates improved action by new suppliers to reduce the numbers of complaints received.

Payment by Results

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of how the move to payment by results will affect the commissioning and provision of specialised services for those with long-term conditions; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what progress has been made with the implementation of the 11 quality requirements published in the National Service Framework for Long-term (Neurological) Conditions in March 2005; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what advice she has given to  (a) local authority social services and  (b) NHS trusts on the implementation of the National Service Framework for Long-term (Neurological) Conditions; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Since publication of the national service framework (NSF) for long-term conditions, the Department has co-ordinated a range of activity to help local authority social care organisations and national health service bodies take forward implementation of the NSF.
	This includes:
	working with key NHS, social care, voluntary and independent sector stakeholders, as well as service users and carers, to identify and address key issues in neurological services and the stakeholders' role in implementation;
	ensuring that other key delivery programmes, most especially the White Paper Our Health, Our Care, Our Say and the long-term conditions strategy help deliver key NSF objectives; and
	working with the care services improvement partnership to promote implementation of the NSF through a co-ordinated work programme, including regional workshops, a web-based getting started pack and self-assessment tool for services.
	Progress on implementation will be measured in a number of ways, including:
	research studies commissioned as part of a national research initiative to underpin implementation of the NSF, to provide baseline data needed to measure the subsequent impact of the NSF;
	work to develop a national minimum dataset for long-term neurological conditions; and
	implementation of clinical indicators developed as part of the better metrics programme.
	The effect of payment by results (PbR) on specialised services for people with long-term conditions will vary. Some specialised services, such as AIDS/HIV anti-retrovirals, are not included in PbR and do not have a national tariff. Others, such as treatment for epilepsy, have a national tariff. We are always seeking to refine PbR so it provides fair reimbursement for specialist activity. To achieve this we regularly solicit feedback from the NHS and other stakeholders, including through an annual questionnaire.

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting time is to see an  (a) paediatric and  (b) dermatology consultant at the Royal Sussex county hospital in Brighton.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is only available at trust level. The information in the table details the hospital waiting times for first out-patient attendance for paediatrics specialties and dermatology specialty at the Brighton and Sussex University hospitals national health service trust for 2004-05. This information is based on patients not yet seen at the, end of the quarter ending 30 June 2006 who have been waiting after a general practitioner referral.
	
		
			  Waiting times in weeks  Paediatric dentistry  Paediatric surgery  Paediatrics  Dermatology 
			  Not seen 
			 0 to 1 1 28 34 147 
			 1 to 2 0 23 34 201 
			 2 to 3 2 5 34 156 
			 3 to 4 0 7 23 98 
			 4 to 5 0 2 16 71 
			 5 to 6 0 0 24 74 
			 6 to 7 0 2 20 51 
			 7 to 8 0 2 29 49 
			 8 to 9 0 2 11 29 
			 9 to 10 0 1 20 13 
			 10 to 11 0 0 4 8 
			 11 to 12 0 1 3 1 
			 12 to 13 0 0 0 2 
			 13 to 14 0 0 0 0 
			 14 to 15 0 0 0 0 
			 15 to 16 0 0 0 0 
			 16 to 17 0 0 0 0 
			 17+ 0 0 0 0 
			  Source:  Department of Health QM08

European Community Association Agreement

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answer question 30942, tabled by the hon. Member for Brent East on 17 November 2005 on the European Community Association Agreement.

Liam Byrne: I replied to the hon. Member on 18 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1305W.

Foreign Criminals

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of people convicted in England and Wales in the last 12 months were non-British nationals.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Data from the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform is not able to identify the nationality of people convicted in England and Wales.
	In a written ministerial statement of 23 May 2006,  Official Report, column 78WS, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary set out the eight priority areas to be addressed by the enforcement and criminal agencies involved in the deportation of foreign national prisoners. Points one and two of this plan tackle the absence of a unique personal identifier for individuals who come into contact with the criminal justice, immigration and asylum systems and that there is no legal requirement to provide evidence of nationality when in contact with the criminal justice system. My hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Hodge Hill (Mr. Byrne) set out the progress we are making against these areas in a written ministerial statement on 19 July 2006,  Official Report, column 29WS and will continue to update Parliament on progress.

Foreign Criminals

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign prisoners were deported in  (a) July,  (b) August and (c) September 2006.

Liam Byrne: The information is not available in the format requested. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary set out in his statement to the House on 9 October 2006 that the Director General of the Immigration Nationality Directorate had written to the Home Affairs Committee on the same day. A copy of this letter has been placed in the Library and it highlights deportation consideration and deportation action taken since April this year.

Internet Service Providers

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the costs to internet service providers of blocking access to child pornography sites; and what discussions he has had with colleagues at the Department of Trade and Industry on this matter.

Vernon Coaker: This is new technology and different internet service providers (ISPs) are developing different solutions that are effective on their specific infrastructures. We recognise there are genuine cost issues for ISPs, particularly smaller ones, not just in developing the solution, but in administering it and in subscribing to the Internet Watch Foundation list, but take the view that the costs are proportionate to the benefits.
	My predecessor, the hon. Member for Wythenshawe and Sale, East (Paul Goggins) along with the then Department of Trade and Industry Minister the right hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Alun Michael) held meetings with ISPs on 22 and 28 March 2006.

Police Complaints

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are in place to monitor the effectiveness of the police response to telephone complaints from the public.

Tony McNulty: Contact management features in HMIC's Baseline Assessment, which complements the statutory performance indicators by providing a qualitative measurement of police performance. In its thematic inspection of police contact management, 'First Contact' published in November 2005, HMIC has developed a best practice framework and assessment matrix that forces can use to self-assess their performance and that HMIC use in the inspection process to grade forces and to identify
	strengths and areas for improvement.

Psychiatric Units

David Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the target figure is for provision of medium-secure psychiatric units per county in England and Wales.

Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply
	The need for medium secure psychiatric provision varies across England and Wales and there are no specific target numbers for units in each county. Government funding has been provided to support an increase in medium secure psychiatric beds in recent years as outlined in the NHS plan. The onus now rests with the commissioners of secure psychiatric services, who are expected to commission an appropriate number of medium secure psychiatric beds to meet the demand for such beds for the population that they cover.